On Oct. 1, 2012, police seized several storage devices where they found at least six saved child pornography videos. According to the affidavit, when police interviewed Ball, he admitted to using a peer-to-peer software program to download the videos and also admitted to masturbating to the movies.

Ball pleaded guilty in Judge John Stevens’ Criminal District Court on Monday, Dec. 4, taking a deal that would have capped his probation at 10 years. But, on Monday, Jan. 13, Judge John Stevens’ Criminal District Court rejected Ball’s plea of guilty for 10 years probation and set Ball’s case for trial

“This is the kind of thing that I really believe that if we think that harming children in this way and sexually abusing children, which is what this amounts to, deserves probation on my watch? I don’t. I really don’t under these circumstances,” Stevens said. “If a jury thinks otherwise in this county, that’s up to them. I’ll let them make the decision.”

Stevens chuckled in disgust as he read Ball’s pre-sentence report, which contained the facts of Ball’s case. Ball’s defense argued his client had little criminal history and had not acted out his sexual fantasies on any children.

Ball has been free on bond since Oct. 10 when he posted a $20,000 bond.

He is set to appear in Judge John Stevens’ Criminal District Court on March 24.

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